Thinking of jumping to Sprint from Verizon for iPhone 5. Any reason not to?

[lokiju]

I've been with Verizon for a LONG time and do have grandfathered unlimited data but with the release of the iPhone 5 next month and the fact that I can sell my current iPhone 4s for enough to cover the early term cost and then some, I'm thinking it's a good opportunity to move to a new carrier that'll help bring my monthly phone bill down a fairly large amount.

I'm hesitant that I'll make the move only to find coverage issues with Sprint and then be stuck without any option to move back to Verizon and get my unlimited data again but I'm thinking the risk and reward of monthly savings might be worth the gamble.

Any 1st hand experiences or reasons anyone can add to talk me out of doing so?

 

[TheStu]

Why not drop the contract altogether, get it unlocked and use it pre-paid?

 

[Ashenor]

I like sprint i have a iPhone 4s on it, i pay 71 a month (20% off discount) with taxes for unlimited everything but to land lines which i have like 800 mins a month to.

I have no issues with it, i will be selling my 32g 4s and upgrading to a 5 also next month, no upgrade till next summer.

 

[Fingolfin269]

I went from Sprint to Verizon and while it does cost more I have a more consistent connection and better data speeds. Obviously this is a local variable but I would not make that swap, at least not in my local market.

 

[MrX8503]

You'll lose the LTE speeds from Verizon. Also once you leave Verizon, your grandfathered unlimited will be gone for good.

 

[lokiju]

You'll lose the LTE speeds from Verizon. Also once you leave Verizon, your grandfathered unlimited will be gone for good.

Anyone know if LTE and grandfathered unlimited data will exist once Verizon goes full LTE?

 

[smackababy]

Anyone know if LTE and grandfathered unlimited data will exist once Verizon goes full LTE?

That is a good question. I went from Sprint to Verizon for the iPhone 4 and the signal quality improved a lot where I live. I, somehow, got grandfathered into the unlimited data and will be upgrading once the 5 comes out.

 

[lokiju]

Anyone do the Sprint Google Voice integration thing?

That's one thing I'd like to know more about but details are sparse.

My wife and I already use Google Voice numbers for our primary contact numbers everyone calls/text. We're just using the Google Voice app on our iPhones now but due to the pain in the ass nature of doing the dial back method, we just don't use it and instead us straight out dialing. As far as Verizon is concerned, this is a call to a different land line number every time we make a phone call and as a result we cannot add it as a unlimited Fav 10 (or whatever they call it now days) number.

End result, we need unlimited talk or as we found the hard way every minute on the phone is a minute used on the plan.

When my wife's mother was in the hospital last year and she was on the phone nonstop we were hit with a crazy $800 bill. Thankfully we got it talked down to a reasonable amount and then switched to unlimited minutes.

The one thing that's not clear to me on the Sprint/Google Voice integration is if we both already have existing Google Voice numbers we want to use and integrate those into our Sprint plan, then call each other from our Sprint phones, will it consume minutes from our plan or not?

 

[sciencewhiz]

Sign up for a new line from Sprint with the Iphone 5. Keep your Verizon contract.
Test Sprint for 14 days and if you like it, port your number from Verizon.
If you don't like it, cancel your Sprint account.

Total cost, 1 extra month of service.

 

[Infrnl]

To the op, why don't you run AT&T. Your in their home town and they have the fastest network in GA. Their 4g is untouchable in GA from what I've read. I think sprint there sucks but could be wrong. You'd be better off with tmobile for saving money.

You can always do the carriers trial before canceling your existing Verizon. I have been trying to save money and there are no good options besides t mobile, especially if you get a new phone. The full price of a new phone does not justify the $10 /mo savings for prepaid.
Tmobile has unlimited data plans and are the only carrier to still offer this I believe.

Best of luck

Have you seen this article http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2405598,00.asp

 

[Atty]

Anyone know if LTE and grandfathered unlimited data will exist once Verizon goes full LTE?

You'll lose the LTE speeds from Verizon. Also once you leave Verizon, your grandfathered unlimited will be gone for good.

From last month forward any upgrade on a Verizon line will lose all family plan members unlimited data or any individuals. It can not be added back.

Once you upgrade on Verizon from last month on you are forced to switch to their Shared Plan, this removed unlimited data completely. The only ways around this are to buy a unsubsidized phone which at current prices is $649 to $849.

That being said, I would never go for Sprint.

 

[AkumaX]

Sign up for a new line from Sprint with the Iphone 5. Keep your Verizon contract.
Test Sprint for 30 days and if you like it, port your number from Verizon.
If you don't like it, cancel your Sprint account.

Total cost, 1 extra month of service.

unfortunately, i believe they changed their return policy to 15 days

 

[vailr]

Why not drop the contract altogether, get it unlocked and use it pre-paid?

Check prepaid pricing via PagePlus.com.
They basically re-sell Verizon minutes that they've bought "in bulk".

 

[amdhunter]

I'm doing exactly what OP wants. Dumping Verizon, and it's awesome LTE speeds, to go back to Sprint and their unlimited plan.

The only reason I might not go to the iPhone 5 right away is because my stupid Pioneer AppRadio will be 100% incompatible with the 5's connector. Pioneer hasn't said a word about providing a new cable either.

 

[TheStu]

Check prepaid pricing via PagePlus.com.
They basically re-sell Verizon minutes that they've bought "in bulk".

I was suggesting that to the OP.

 

[fallenangel99]

Sign up for a new line from Sprint with the Iphone 5. Keep your Verizon contract.
Test Sprint for 30 days and if you like it, port your number from Verizon.
If you don't like it, cancel your Sprint account.

Total cost, 1 extra month of service.

Hmm.. didn't think of this.

WHen you cancel, don't you have to pay the ETF?

 

[sciencewhiz]

unfortunately, i believe they changed their return policy to 15 days

Looks like 14 days. http://www.sprint.com/landings/returns/

WHen you cancel, don't you have to pay the ETF?

Not if you return in in 14 days per the Sprint Satisfaction Guarantee Policy (see above).

 

[AkumaX]

Looks like 14 days. http://www.sprint.com/landings/returns/



Not if you return in in 14 days per the Sprint Satisfaction Guarantee Policy (see above).

I was close

Also, where I live, I'm not getting Sprint LTE till mid-2013...

 

[boomhower]

Coverage is obviously going to vary by location but I'd rather have tiered data that's fast than unlimited that's so slow to use it irritating. I pay a good bit more than I did with Sprint and am happy to do so. Sprint was literally irritating to use and was a frustration everyday. The extra money spent is well worth it.

 

[Geekbabe]

Coverage is obviously going to vary by location but I'd rather have tiered data that's fast than unlimited that's so slow to use it irritating. I pay a good bit more than I did with Sprint and am happy to do so. Sprint was literally irritating to use and was a frustration everyday. The extra money spent is well worth it.

QFT! When I pick up my phone, it works & it's fast. I don't care how cheap data is, if it is slow it's not a good deal.

 

[fallenangel99]

Looks like 14 days. http://www.sprint.com/landings/returns/



Not if you return in in 14 days per the Sprint Satisfaction Guarantee Policy (see above).

Ah, I read your question wrong. I thought you were suggesting to sign up for 1 month, cancel, AND keep the iphone5, but i dont think it works that way.

 

[Durvelle27]

im just gonna just buy it and use prepaid

 

[akshatp]

Why would Sprints monthly cost be that much lower than Verizon's? They all pretty much match each other

BTW Sprint sucks.

 

[Red Storm]

Why would Sprints monthly cost be that much lower than Verizon's? They all pretty much match each other

BTW Sprint sucks.

This. What good is an unlimited plan if the network is slow and crappy?

I would do either high end (Verizon/AT&T) or some kind of prepaid plan that was much cheaper (T-Mobile for example).

 

[wirednuts]

Anyone do the Sprint Google Voice integration thing?

i did

it was fine. all it really means is you can use your sprint number as a google voice number without being charged the porting fee. and thats because its not ported, its just tied to google. so now your sprint number is your gv number and you can do with it as you normally would any gv number.

and when you dont want it anymore, you can disable the integration. your sprint number will just be your sprint number again, and you just get a new random gv number in its place to keep your gv account going.

so its not like the sprint integration is a big deal or anything, but it can be handy for those who want google voice but dont want to fully port their number and lose their phone contract they already have.